NAPSNet Daily Report 02 November, 2001

Recommended Citation

"NAPSNet Daily Report 02 November, 2001", NAPSNet Daily Report, November 02, 2001, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-daily-report/napsnet-daily-report-02-november-2001/

 
CONTENTS

I. United States

1. Inter-Korean Talks
2. Japanese Support of US-led Action
3. Japanese Aid in Aegis Production
II. Republic of Korea 1. DPRK E-mail Service Opens
2. ROK-DPRK Talks

I. United States

1. Inter-Korean Talks

The Associated Press (“S. KOREA ACCEPTS N. KOREA TALK PROPOSAL,” Seoul, 11/2/01) reported that the ROK on Friday accepted a DPRK proposal for dialogue at its remote mountain resort. The move ended a weeks-long dispute over the venue and cleared the way for a new round of Cabinet-level discussions aimed at rescheduling reunion of families separated by the Korean War, as well as suspended tourism and economic talks. The ROK proposed that the Cabinet meeting take place on November 9-12. The DPRK has yet to respond. But it had earlier said that as long as the meeting is held at Mount Kumgang on its east coast, it is ready to resume the discussions. The ROK believes the DPRK insisted on Mount Kumgang because its isolated location keeps visitors from viewing the people.

2. Japanese Support of US-led Action

Reuters (Teruaki Ueno, “US HAILS JAPAN’S MILITARY SUPPORT PLANS,” Tokyo, 11/2/01) reported that Japanese officials said the US on Friday hailed Japan for speedily taking steps to send its military overseas to provide logistical support for US-led strikes on Afghanistan. Japanese and US officials held a second day of talks in Tokyo to try to clarify plans for Japan to provide logistical, rearguard support such as providing supplies, transportation, medical care, and communications equipment. At the session, Japan gave the US delegation details and specifics of what Japan could do to help the US and its allies. The US delegation told Japan that it had to operate self-sufficiently and should not rely on the US for help if there was trouble. Another Japanese official said the US side had made no specific requests. The Japanese officials declined to give details on the specific support measures the Japanese side presented to the US counterpart. However, the daily Asahi Shimbun newspaper quoted government sources as saying the initial deployment could consist of up to six ships, four C-130 transport planes, and as many as 1,100 personnel from the Maritime and Air Self Defense Forces. The Asahi quoted the sources as saying the Japanese personnel would operate in several overseas locations, including the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Hawaii, and Guam.

3. Japanese Aid in Aegis Production

Reuters (Daisuke Wakabayashi, “JAPAN FIRMS MAY ASSIST AEGIS PRODUCTION-SOURCE,” Tokyo, 11/2/01) reported that a source said Friday that US and Japanese naval officials will hold talks next week with manufacturers from both countries on a role for Japanese firms in producing an Aegis air-defense system used on destroyers. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun business daily said on Friday that Mitsubishi Heavy, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Oki Electric Industry Company Limited, and Nippon Avionics Company Limited would produce about 30 percent of the 50 billion yen Aegis system in a licensing agreement with US defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corporation. The source said, “There is going to be discussions between the two navies and industry next week.” Analysts said Japan’s defense contractors will likely benefit from the expansion of the Self-Defense Forces. HSBC Securities analyst Graeme McDonald said, “Koizumi’s structural reform plans will not have any effect on the defense budget.”

II. Republic of Korea

1. DPRK E-mail Service Opens

The Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, “NORTH KOREA OPENS E-MAIL SERVICE TO FOREIGNERS,” Seoul, 11/02/01) reported that ROK officials said Thursday that the DPRK has opened its Internet-based e-mail service that allows foreigners to communicate with selected citizens. Launched on October 8, Silibank.com is currently on a trial run, relaying e-mails through two server systems located in the DPRK capital of Pyongyang and Shenyang in northeast PRC. Subscribers can freely exchange e-mails with DPRK citizens who own e-mail accounts provided by Silibank.

2. ROK-DPRK Talks

Joongang Ilbo (Kim Hee-sung, “INTER-KOREAN CABINET MEETING SEEKS INTERVIEW WITH KIM JONG-IL,” Seoul, 11/02/01) reported that ROK Unification Minister Hong Soon-young is reportedly seeking a meeting with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il on the sidelines of the sixth inter-Korean ministerial talks expected to be held at Mount Kumgang next week. The meeting between ROK Unification Minister Hong and DPRK leader Kim, if held, will focus on pending issues, including Kim’s return visit to Seoul, reunions of separated families and a cross border road to Mount Kumgang.

The NAPSNet Daily Report aims to serve as a forum for dialogue and exchange among peace and security specialists. Conventions for readers and a list of acronyms and abbreviations are available to all recipients. For descriptions of the world wide web sites used to gather information for this report, or for more information on web sites with related information, see the collection of other NAPSNet resources.
We invite you to reply to today’s report, and we welcome commentary or papers for distribution to the network.

Produced by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development in partnership with:
International Policy Studies Institute Seoul, Republic of Korea
Center for American Studies,
Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
International Peace Research Institute (PRIME),
Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
Monash Asia Institute,
Monash University, Clayton, Australia

Gee Gee Wong: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Kim Hee-sun: khs688@hotmail.com
Seoul, Republic of Korea

Hibiki Yamaguchi: hibikiy@dh.mbn.or.jp
Tokyo, Japan

Rumiko Seya: rumiko-seya@geocities.co.jp
Tokyo, Japan

Hiroya Takagi: hiroya_takagi@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan

Peter Razvin: icipu@glas.apc.org
Moscow, Russian Federation

Yunxia Cao: yunxiac@yahoo.com
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

John McKay: John.McKay@adm.monash.edu.au
Clayton, Australia

 


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